This invention relates generally to improvements in disk drive units of the general type used in modern microcomputers such as personal computers and the like. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved mechanical mounting configuration for a power connector plug in a disk drive unit. In addition, this invention relates to improvements in shock mounts for isolating portions of the disk drive unit from undesired shock and vibration, and to improvements in thermal isolation of the circuit board carrying the drive electronics from other portions of the disk drive unit.
Disk drive units in general are known in the art for use in modern microcomputers such as personal and desk top computers and the like. In one popular form, such disk drive units comprise a so-called Winchester disk drive having one or more rotatably driven memory storage disks mounted within a substantially sealed disk drive housing along with one or more related electromagnetic heads for reading and writing data on appropriately prepared disk surfaces. A disk drive unit of this type, sometimes referred to as a "fixed" disk, is normally available as a compact package with the sealed housing mounted onto a rigid frame or chassis together with a circuit board carrying the necessary drive electronics for interfacing with other components of a computer system. In this regard, the disk drive unit requires a power connector plug for supplying electrical power to the drive electronics as well as to a suitable drive motor for rotating the disks. In addition, the disk drive unit requires one or more interface connectors for coupling the drive electronics to the computer system, such as a main system controller which supplies appropriate commands to the disk drive unit for reading and/or writing data.
In the past, installation of a fixed disk drive unit into a modern microcomputer has been a relatively difficult task. More particularly, in a typical installation, it has been necessary to open the cabinet of the computer such as the housing of a main central processor unit to permit installation of the disk drive unit. The installation procedure has required careful and proper placement of the disk drive unit, together with correct coupling of the power connector plug and interface connector with mating fittings located within the processor unit housing. To avoid errors in installation and potential damage to fragile computer components, many individuals have preferred that the disk drive installation task be performed by a skilled technician.
In addition, disk drive units for modern microcomputers commonly include resilient shock mounts for supporting the sealed disk drive housing from the rigid chassis. Such shock mounts are intended to isolate the disks and associated heads from undesired shocks or vibrations which could otherwise cause tracking errors in the course of reading and writing data. In the past, disk drive shock mounts have included a resilient buffer member secured by an adhesive or the like between support blocks which are fastened in turn typically with screws to facing surfaces of the disk drive housing and the chassis. However, these shock mounts are difficult to construct and install without applying a torque to the resilient buffer member, wherein such torque frequently causes the adhesive connection of the buffer member to fail.
Still further, in currently available disk drive units, problems have been encountered with respect to differential thermal expansion of the disk drive housing and the related circuit board during normal operation. That is, the sealed disk drive housing and the circuit board are constructed from different materials which experience different thermal growth when subjected to variations in temperature during normal operation of the disk drive unit. The circuit board is particularly subject to complex thermal growth characteristics due in part to localized hot spots attributable to heating of electronic components carried thereon. It is necessary to isolate the thermal size changes of the circuit board from the disk drive housing to prevent the imposition of structural stresses upon the housing, since such stresses potentially can cause minor shift between the heads and the related memory storage disks to result in read and/or write errors.
There exists, therefore, a significant need for improvements in fixed disk drive units for computers, particularly with respect to simplifying disk drive unit installation into a central processor unit or the like of a computer system. Moreover, there exists a need for improvements in disk drive shock mounts, and in circuit board mounting arrangements for thermally isolating the board from remaining components of the disk drive unit. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages.